Searching for Occupational Therapy Schools near Crestview, FL? Let us help you find the perfect OTA school for you!

As youbegin your search for Occupational therapy Assistant schools in Crestview, FL, you will probablyquicklydiscover that there has never been a better time for you topursue a career as an OTA. The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statisticsanticipates jobs in thisfield to increase by 43% over the ten year period 2010-2020, this equates to over 12,000 new Occupational Therapy Assistant jobs! The even better news is that the medianOccupational Therapy Assistant incomeis over $53,000 yearlywhich makes itright there with the best paying health carecareers that does not require a University Degree.

Occupational Therapy Schools in Crestview, FL

The first steptoward a career as an OTA is determining the rightOccupational Therapy Training Program. There are at the momentalmosttwo hundred accredited occupational therapy schools in the United States and Puerto Rico and nearly all the schools accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) offer Occupational Therapist Assistant degrees and Master’s Degrees, with many also offering Doctoral degrees. Before you decide tojump in andchoose a training program, it is very important toanalyze all of your alternativesto makesureyou find an Occupational Therapy training program that fits all your requirements.

Details YouMust ConsiderWhen Choosing an Occupational Therapy School

Accreditation

Accreditation by the ACOTE is recommended because you will beassuredyou willlearn about the full array oftechniquesnecessary to bea qualified OTA.

Curriculum

Occupational Therapy Assistants work with patients on an array ofissues and disorders making itimperative that your course work is very diversifiedinstead of too focused ona particulardiscipline.

Clinical Training

Another importantvariableyou should think about is the clinical education experience. This is yourhands-on training, itis whereyou are going to interact with actual patients and put your abilities to use. Some schools applysignificantly more time on your actual clinicalexperience compared toother schools. In cases where your school is not spendinglarge amounts of time with clinical teaching, make sure that youfind out why.

Class Size

Another thing to also consider is the class sizes. The size of may vary greatly from college to college. Be sure to find out the class sizes at the schools you are considering. Remember, the smaller the class size , the more one-on-one teachingthat you receive with yourinstructors.

Online Training

Taking Occupational Therapy Classes Online may not work for every student. Nevertheless, for many of us online training courses can relieveseveral of the burdens of being a full time student. Work and householdare sometimesdriven aside while students continue their education and online classes providea bit of flexibility to a busy life.

Graduation Rate

The lastthingthat you have toexaminebefore choosing an Occupational Therapy School is the rate of the collegesyou are considering. Make certain you find out how many peoplegraduate from the program, what their assessments were, and just how many of them have gone on tocareers as OTA’s.

Featured Occupational Therapy Schools in Crestview, FL

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What to Expect in OTA School

In most cases the course work is roughlytwo years, with the first year being mainlyclassroomtraining and with the second year spent carrying out hands on instruction in a hospital or private carepractice. Some of the course work a student will likely need to take includes pediatrics, gerontology, healthcarejargon, and physical rehab. All States that require licensure simply requirea two year degree. A Bachelor’s Degree will beneededif you plan on becoming a full Occupational Therapist, but the truth is you will find that the majority of Occupational Therapist started their careers as Assistants and received their Bachelor’s Degrees a few years later.

Licensing Information and Facts

Following graduation, those wanting toget started with their careers have to become certified as an occupational therapist assistant. Every State has its own rules and regulationsthat are governed by an occupational therapy board, with some being private while others are run by the State exclusively. In Florida, licensing is administrated by the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. Even thougheach State is unique, there are a number of requirements that are common among many of them and can include the following.

An individualattempting to get an occupational therapy assistant licenseis required to be a U.S. citizen, must have a social security number and is required to have taken and passedappropriate college course work in addition to having taken and passed the NBCOT exam.

Each State requires a federal background check , however convictions are not necessarilyimmediate grounds for dismissal. Certain States may consider processing an occupational therapist license if a written affidavit is turned in to clarify the circumstances of the conviction. Additional factors including time frame and nature of the crime may be assessed and be taken into consideration to approve licensure .

Each State will provide an Occupational Therapy Assistant licensing packagethat is going tocontain several forms to complete. You should notspend money on these forms from a third party as they can be found online from many reputablewebsites. It is recommended to take a very comprehensive look through the paper work before trying to complete them. It will have official transcripts required; notarized signatures and many States will ask you to include a fingerprint card which may be completed at a local police station.

Job Environment for Occupational Therapy Assistants

An OTA will work with a number of different patients who have needs that will betotally differentcompared to the previous patient. You might beworking for an outpatient facility with small childrenwho have food or texture aversions or a hospital treatment facility working with a middle age man with psychological and mental struggles . Even though an occupational therapy assistant possessesa variety of job skills, a couple of the basics such as following direction, keeping up to date with the most recent techniques and learning and employing the available technologiesare the most important. Finally, a COTA should also be reasonably physically fit, becauseyou will have several instances of moving patients around, including from a bed to a wheel chair.

If this looks like a career your interested in, then take a few minutes to fill out the search form at the top of this page. You will be shown a list of training programs near Crestview, FL that offer Occupational Therapy Assistant classes. Request information from as many schools as you’d like, and good luck in your future career!

Occupational Therapy Schools in Crestview, FL reviewed by Faith CARROLL on June 14.

Terrific Source of Info

Thank You for sharing such an informative website. I was able to get more info about the OTA schools in my area and chose one that worked for me. I’m now ready to start my classes and can’t wait to work as an Occupational Therapist.